Lawyer: Teen left in woods losing trust

The Associated Press

Published Saturday, January 31, 2009

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. -- A woman deceived and abandoned by her angry friends in the woods of northern New Jersey on a frigid night bears scars both physical and emotional from her ordeal, her lawyer said Friday.

Three women who police say were upset with the victim over a car insurance claim are accused of telling her they were taking her to a party, only to dump her by the side of the road in an unfamiliar area.

The woman was left wearing only a dress, a thin jacket and one shoe; the temperature outside was 8 degrees.

The 19-year-old woman was outside for more than an hour on the snow-lined road before a passing motorist took her to a hospital. She suffered frostbite to her feet.

She is too distraught to publicly discuss the Jan. 16 kidnapping and would be a "basket case" if she tried to be interviewed about it by the news media, said Albert Wunsch, an attorney based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J. Police have not revealed her name, nor would her lawyer.

"It's just a very tragic thing that's eroded her sense of trust; these were friends of hers," Wunsch said. "As of now, she still doesn't have any feeling in her toes, and they're still trying to do all kinds of therapies and injections to improve that."

Maria Contreras-Luciano, 22, of Dumont, and Amber Crespo, 20, and Dyanne Velasquez, 21, both of North Bergen, face kidnapping, assault and conspiracy charges and are free on $200,000 bail. Crespo is also charged with making terroristic threats toward the victim.